Convertible drying from venting to condensing in combination washer-dryer

ABSTRACT

A laundry dryer containing a combination of a vented and condenser dryer, in which during a process of venting, air is drawn from the surrounding, heated and blown into the drum and then exhausted through an air duct to the exterior, and during condensing drying, hot air and a fine mist of cold water are introduced into the drum and the hot air is cooled using a condensing process and the residual water is removed by a pump.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The instant application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/843,560, filed Jul. 8, 2013, pending, the entirespecification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a single appliance dryer combining adrying mechanism of both a vented dryer and condenser dryer withswitchable controls that allow converting the drying mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a vented dryer, air is drawn from the surrounding area (e.g., thelaundry room), then heated and blown through the clothes as the drumtumbles them about. This hot air evaporates some of the water in thedamp fabrics, and the resultant moisture-laden air is then exhaustedthrough a vent duct to the outside. U.S. Patent Publication No.2009/0119943 describes an illustrative vented laundry dryer, the entirespecification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

The condenser, or ventless, dryer removes humidity by using two separateair flows. Air re-circulates inside the machine and is heated. Then, itis passed through the damp clothes where it picks up moisture. Damp airis then passed through the condenser in one direction, while the roomair is passed through the condenser in the other direction. This causesthe moisture in the air to condense into water which is then pumped tothe water tank or out through the hose. In a condenser dryer, only heatis released, and all moisture is contained within the dryer. Thecondensed water can be either pumped away to a drain line (e.g., into astandpipe shared with the clothes washer) or stored in a containerwithin the dryer to be emptied later (note: not all models offer bothoptions). An illustrative condensation washer dryer with an additionalfeature of sealing of the processed air guidance, mechanical stability,production and assembly technology is described in U.S. Pat. No.7,984,568, the entire specification of which is expressly incorporatedherein by reference.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a new and improved system andmethod for overcoming one or more of the above-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a single appliance dryer combining adrying mechanism of both a vented dryer and condenser dryer withswitchable controls that allow converting the drying mechanism. Thedryer combines two drying mechanisms of (1) venting in which hot air isintroduced into the drying chamber and exhausted through an air duct tothe exterior of the dryer, and (2) condensing (or ventless) in which hotair and a fine mist of cold water are introduced into the dryingchamber, the hot air is cooled using a condensing process and theresidual water is removed by a pump at the base of the clothes dryer.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a laundry dryercontaining a combination of a vented and condenser dryer is provided, inwhich during a process of venting, air is drawn from the surrounding,heated and then blown into the drum and then exhausted through an airduct to the exterior, and during condensing drying, hot air and a finemist of cold water are introduced into the drum and the hot air iscooled using a condensing process and the residual water is removed by apump. The dryer is provided with an electronically controlled switch onthe control panel, facilitating switching between the two functions,i.e., venting and condensing. A dryer of present invention is furtherprovided with a blower fan to the exterior of the dryer to push the hotair from the drying chamber.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a laundrydryer is provided, comprising:

a housing;

a rotating drum contained within the housing, wherein the drum isselectively operable to rotate in a clockwise direction and in acounter-clockwise direction on a timer schedule;

a heater selectively operable to heat air blown into the drum;

a blower and a blower motor selectively operable to drive air into thedrum;

an exhaust hose from the drum to a back portion of the dryer selectivelyoperable to push exhausting hot air to an exterior of the system;

an optional fan attached to the exterior of the dryer at an opening ofthe exhaust hose to the back portion of the system;

a drum motor selectively operable to rotate the drum in the clockwiseand counter-clockwise directions;

a valve system including a cold water valve portion and a condensingvalve portion;

a pump at a base portion of the dryer to draw out and expel a watercondensate from the drum; and

an electronic controller.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, thefan is adapted for pushing the exhausting hot air from a drying chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, theelectronic controller is adapted for switching from a vented state ofoperation to a condenser state of operation.

In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention,the cold water valve is adapted for operating in a drying cycle anddrawing cold water into the dryer.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, thecondensing valve is adapted for taking a cold water input from the coldwater inlet valve and converting it to a fine mist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an illustrative laundry dryer system, inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the laundry dryer system depicted in FIG.1, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the drum assembly of the laundry dryersystem depicted in FIG. 1, in accordance with a third embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the electronic controller of the laundrydryer system depicted in FIG. 1, in accordance with a fourth embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the drying chamber assembly of the laundrydryer system depicted in FIG. 1, in accordance with a fifth embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present appliance unit is a standard tumble dryer and can be used asa vented and condenser dryer.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a laundry dryer is provided,comprising: a housing; a rotating drum contained within the housingwherein the drum rotating in clockwise direction and incounter-clockwise on a timer schedule; a heater to heat the air blowninto the drum; a standard blower and motor to drive air into the drum; ahose from the drum to the back of the dryer to push the exhausting hotair to the exterior of the dryer; an optional fan attached to theexterior of the dryer at the opening of the exhaust hose to the back ofthe dryer; a motor to operate the drum clockwise and counter-clockwise;a cold water valve which being adapted for operating in the dry cycleand drawing cold water into the dryer; a condensing valve which beingadapted for taking cold water input from the water inlet valve andconverting it to a fine mist; a pump at the base of the dryer to drawout and expel the water condensate from the drum; and an electroniccontroller to facilitate the dryer to be switched from vented tocondensing states.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the present inventionprovides a single appliance dryer combining a drying mechanism of both avented dryer and condenser dryer with switchable controls that allowconverting the drying mechanism. The dryer combines two dryingmechanisms of (1) venting, in which hot air is introduced into thedrying chamber and exhausted through an air duct to the exterior of thedryer; and (2) condensing (or ventless), in which hot air and a finemist of cold water are introduced into the drying chamber, the hot airis cooled using a condensing process and the residual water is removedby a pump at the base of the clothes dryer.

According to yet another exemplary embodiment, a dryer is provided withan electronically controlled switch on the control panel, facilitatingswitching between the two functions, i.e., venting and condensing. Adryer of the present invention is further provided with a blower fan tothe exterior of the dryer to push the hot air from the drying chamber.The traditional venting mechanism requires a heating element and animpeller (or blower) powered by a motor to push hot air to push hot airinto the tumble drying chamber, which exhausts the hot air to theexterior of the dryer using air flow.

In a present combination washer-dryer, during the drying cycle, coldwater is used to condense the moisture evaporated from the clothes,which again is pumped away through the drain line. So, duringcondensation, the dryer needs extra water. While during the cycle of theventing mechanism, hot air is introduced into the drying chamber andblown through the clothes. This hot air evaporates some of the water inthe damp fabrics.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown an illustrative laundry dryersystem generally at 10. The system 10 includes portions and componentsthat provide both a washing function and a dryer function in a singleunit. The system 10 includes a housing 20, a rotating drum 30 containedwithin the housing 10. The drum 30 is selectively operable to rotate ina clockwise direction and in a counter-clockwise direction on a timerschedule (e.g., via a timer mechanism). A heater 40 is selectivelyoperable to heat air blown into the drum 30. A blower 50 and a blowermotor 60 are selectively operable to drive air into the drum 30. Anexhaust hose 70 from the drum 30 to a back portion 80 of the dryerportion of the system 10 is selectively operable to push exhausting hotair to an exterior of the dryer portion of the system 10. An optionalfan 90 is attached to the exterior of the dryer portion of the system 10at an opening of the exhaust hose 70 to the back portion 80 of the dryerportion of the system 10. A drum motor 100 is selectively operable torotate the drum 30 in the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. Avalve system 110 includes a cold water valve portion 120 and acondensing valve portion 130 that are selectively controlled by one ormore solenoids that are selectively operable to permit functioning ofthe respective valve portions 120, 130. A pump 140 at a base portion 150of the dryer portion of the system 10 is operable to draw out and expela water condensate from the drum 30. An electronic controller 160 isalso provided.

The fan 90 is adapted for pushing the exhausting hot air from a dryingchamber portion 170.

The electronic controller 160 is adapted for switching from a ventedstate of operation to a condenser state of operation.

The cold water valve portion 120 is adapted for operating in a dryingcycle and drawing cold water into the dryer portion of the system 10.

The valve system 110 is adapted for taking a cold water input from thecold water inlet valve portion 120 and converting it to a fine mist.

What is claimed is:
 1. A laundry dryer system, comprising: a housing; arotating drum contained within the housing, wherein the drum isselectively operable to rotate in a clockwise direction and in acounter-clockwise direction on a timer schedule; a heater selectivelyoperable to heat air blown into the drum; a blower and a blower motorselectively operable to drive air into the drum; an exhaust hose fromthe drum to a back portion of the dryer selectively operable to pushexhausting hot air to an exterior of the system; an optional fanattached to the exterior of the dryer at an opening of the exhaust hoseto the back portion of the system; a drum motor selectively operable torotate the drum in the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions; avalve system including a cold water valve portion and a condensing valveportion; a pump at a base portion of the dryer to draw out and expel awater condensate from the drum; and an electronic controller.
 2. Thedryer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan is adapted for pushing theexhausting hot air from a drying chamber portion.
 3. The dryer asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is adapted forswitching from a vented state of operation to a condenser state ofoperation.
 4. The dryer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cold watervalve portion is adapted for operating in a drying cycle and drawingcold water into the dryer.
 5. The dryer as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe valve system is adapted for taking a cold water input from the coldwater inlet valve portion and converting it to a fine mist.